What to call the beginning of Roger Federer's 20th year on the ATP World Tour? In January, we would have used adjectives such as “hopeful” or “upbeat”. Federer, describing himself, picked “rejuvenated” and “refreshed”. In what looks like prescient language now, three months on, the Swiss veteran said at the start of the year, “I do believe it could be very beneficial for the future of my tennis career that I've had this six-month layoff... I feel rejuvenated, refreshed. Maybe mentally I needed this rest more than I thought I would. Maybe also my body needed a rest more than I thought I would.” But now, after Federer has rolled through the Australian Open, the BNP Paribas Open in Indian...
A LOOK BACK Torneo Internacional Challenger (Leon, Mexico): Adrian Menendez-Maceiras lifted a trophy for the first time in a decade to cap an astonishing week in Mexico. The 31 year old had lost his past eight finals on the ATP Challenger Tour, but prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 against Roberto Quiroz in the first all-qualifier Challenger final since 2010. Menendez’s reward for his second Challenger title, his first since Cordoba in 2007, is for the Spaniard to climb up 70 places to No. 210 in Emirates ATP Rankings. Open Harmonie Mutuelle (Saint-Brieuc, France): Austrian top seed Gerald Melzer lost in the opening round at Saint-Brieuc. His conqueror Egor Gerasimov won seven matches in eight days as a qualifier to clinch a second Challenger...
Gregarious Italian Fabio Fognini moved up 12 places to his highest position in the Emirates ATP Rankings since 15 February 2016 (at No. 24) courtesy of reaching the semi-finals at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The World No. 28 won five matches in Florida, including a straight-sets victory over second seed Kei Nishikori, to earn a spot in his first Masters 1000 semi-final since 2013, when he played the last four in Monte-Carlo (l. Djokovic). Donald Young continues to build on his impressive start to 2017, as he climbed nine places to No. 42. The American secured semi-final spots at the Memphis Open and Delray Beach Open. Then at Indian Wells he toppled Abierto Mexicano Telcel champion Sam Querrey and World No. 17 Lucas Pouille en route to the...
